The week in which: you can have brunch with Saul Williams, cheese and meat get a festival, and Cochon555 returns in all its meaty glory.

Thu, Apr 27Dining Out For LifeThis annual fundraiser is back. It supports Lifelong, the Seattle organization which began by helping those with HIV/AIDS secure nutritious food and housing and has now grown to support those living with poverty and serious illness of all kinds. While we can name many, here are five (really great) reasons you should head to one of the participating restaurants this Thursday.

Fri, Apr 28Cured, Pickled, and SaucedFor its monthly Friday dinner series, Delicatus is collaborating with Seth and Zachary Pacleb of Brothers and Company as well as Captive Spirits. The night’s theme: culinary traditions of preservation styles—shio koji cured salmon, pickled fiddleheads, lamb prosciutto, and more fermented goodness in this seven-course meal. Dinner starts at 6:45 and costs $70 per person.

Sat, Apr 29Verjus Turns 1Brendan and Heidi McGill’s Bainbridge Island house of vegetarian eats and cold-pressed juices is celebrating one rotation around the sun this weekend. Toast the birthday with—what else?—hibiscus-beet punch, along with vegetarian paella, from 1 to 3pm.

Sat, Apr 29Cheese and Meat FestivalCharcuterie and cheese abound in the Pacific Northwest, so it makes perfect sense to throw a festival featuring the complementary duo. Plus there will be local wine, cider, and beer for good measure. Meander through McCaw Hall, where bites of cured meats and cheeses are yours for the sampling. You'll be able to purchase both local and international cheeses for home on your way out. Tickets are $55 for the evening tasting from 7 to 9.

Sun, Apr 30Cochon 555If bad things come in threes, then good, meaty things come in fives. The porky showcase is back again, with five chefs—Derek Ronspies of Le Petit Cochon, Josh Henderson, and Brian Clevenger to name a few—facing off in a nose-to-tail cooking competition all to support family hog farms. Each will take a 200-pound heritage breed pig, each will make some form of meat magic, but only one will be the victor. Beyond pork, there will also be five winemakers, somms, and barkeeps providing libations. Eat, drink, vote on your favorite dish; it will all go down at the Fairmont Olympic Hotel at 5pm (4pm for VIPs). Tickets start at $125.

Sun, Apr 30Filmmakers Brunch with Chef Tarik Abdullah and Saul WilliamsThe Langston Hughes African American Film Festival is April 27–30, so why not throw in a brunch with filmmakers, including rapper-writer-poet-actor-director Saul Williams? Brunch will be in the capable hands of chef Tarik Abdullah of his Morning Star brunch popup and forthcoming Black and Tan Hall. On the menu: baharat-spiced pancakes with jackfruit compote and citrus syrup, ras el hanout granola with Greek yogurt, lamb sausage, aauliflower salad with nettle chermoula, olive oil polenta, and romesco. Tickets are a whopping $12.

Ticket Alert: Elysian Brewing Hosts a “Search Party” This SummerLike Bono, they still haven't found what they're looking for, but what you’ll find: a one-day event full of beer, food, live music, and art. Elysian will ensure over 40 beers are on tap for your drinking pleasure, plus food trucks aplenty will be on standby for necessary sustenance purposes. The Search Party will be down at the Seattle Center on July 1, all to benefit The Vera Project, a Seattle-based all-ages and volunteer-fueled music and arts venue. While sipping on some Space Dust IPA, watch live sets by The Sonics, The Struts, Black Pistol Fire and Thunderpussy. Advanced tickets are $35; nab some online or at any Elysian location.